


In All the Hideaways

by Etnoe



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Awkward Kissing, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 02:52:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3593637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Etnoe/pseuds/Etnoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eugenides had a new favourite and utterly terrible game: Discussing the places where he and Costis could kiss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In All the Hideaways

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a fic meme where the requester gave a pairing and a location for the pairing to kiss in. Sort of miscellaneously set after King of Attolia. Please assume that Eugenides and Irene have had a discussion behind the scenes about his approaching Costis; it's very lightly implied in the story, but since that isn't the focus I didn't go into it.
> 
> Prompt: Queen's Thief - Gen/Costis, unspecified location
> 
> * * *

"Another option we could use is the conspiracy room. You know, that little one with no obvious place to overhear people." The king waved his hand about in no particular direction, not appearing to care whether Costis knew where doom would descend. "But others might have discovered that it has _less_ obvious places to listen from."

He took a moment to eat a few olives from their lunch spread. "We could try that broad beam across the great hall. People so rarely look up, and your balance is much improved."

On the contrary, Costis's balance currently told him that he and the room were swaying in opposite directions, though in fact he sat on a sturdy chair and was dedicating himself to staying immobile in the hopes that the king might forget he existed.

"There are quiet corners in the stables," the king said mournfully. "The downside is that there are horses."

Costis should have known to expect the worst as soon as the king had described his intention of having 'a quiet lunch'. Eugenides didn't believe in quiet, generally, and these days he liked to keep it at bay with a new favourite and utterly terrible game: Discussing the places where he and Costis could kiss.

"Why do things by halves? I am king. We could stand before a company of guards and say it was a symbol of my devotion to my loyal subjects. Surely it would invigorate them. Probably to run away from me."

"Is that a _threat_? I have done nothing to deserve that!" Costis knew that he'd gone pale but felt no shame. The king would do that. He would dare to kiss Costis in front of an entire company. Costis would not survive it, quite apart from how the guards would react, or all the gods of all the peoples forbid, what his queen would do.

At least the king did not look pleased in finally getting a reaction beyond Costis choking, sputtering, and paling, though he didn't look nearly disturbed enough for this topic of conversation. "It's not that bad, Costis." It was, of course, and a smile flickered across his face. "Not in all possible ways. It's very nice in some."

There was no protocol for this, and Costis did not bother thinking of any. If he had no idea what to do but stare at the slight curve of Eugenides's mouth, it was no fault of his. He did think about the fact that the king had insisted on quiet and that they were alone in his chamber - about the very pointed ways that the queen looked at Costis lately and then very particularly ignored him - and that prior to sitting down at the table, the king had checked the hideaways in the room, disappearing behind corners and wall hangings with a sense of the ostentatious. Here and now they were as alone as they could hope to be. When Eugenides had brought up this topic before it had never been as privately as this, with no one else in sight and closed doors keeping others away until he or Costis should decide to call them in.

"It's a promise, then," Costis said. His mouth was dry enough to mumble away any trace of hope in his voice.

Eugenides shook his head, the motion overly sharp. His voice was easy, though, when he said, "It is merely the expression of a deeply felt wish."

The act of leaning over the table was awkward; the king half-stood and balanced on his hand, the hook not lending much support and tick-ticking resoundingly on the wood. It was unreal and awful, the worst part being the idea that after all this talking the king would not quite reach and they would not quite kiss. If he hovered there and _teased_ \-- So Costis leaned forwards in his chair and stopped breathing for a few warm seconds.

Eugenides then moved away and say back down as if trying hard to give the appearance that nothing had happened.

"After all," he said. "If I made a promise, you would expect it to be kept, with all your faith in honour. I have to be more circumspect in these matters than to be so rash."

Costis knew he should laugh, probably - it was like one of those court jokes that weren't funny and ought to get a light laugh and quick response. "I can," was what he said. "I can still make promises."

"You _would_ ," Eugenides said in a wavering groan, as dizzy-looking as Costis no longer felt. He had no business acting as if Costis was the cause for despair seated at the table. "I should have known - even about this and all its impossibilities, you would simply try to make it seem solid." 

For all the complaining either of them could do, the world was quietly undisturbed by whatever might have come to pass in the king's private chambers. Costis took the liberty he had to be honorable and open, taking his turn to stand and stoop forwards over the table. He watched with the last shreds of his dissipating panic as relief flooded the king's face, and then he was too close.

He amended that with a hand lifting to Eugenides's face, their lips pressed together again: Close enough.


End file.
